Hidden in the Dark
by Pannygirl
Summary: *Draco and Hermione* "It was you that night in the cave!?" He said. "All these nights since, your really the one i've been dreaming about!?" She said. (Its amazing how many things go unnoticed in the dark)
1. The Niece

A/N: Alright this is my baby, my little creation which I hope turns out to be the success I hope it will be despite what any one who reads it may say with any negativity. This is definitely an a/u fic, cause I will have some new and hopefully interesting characters involved. Just uh, read it…

Disclaimer: I own nothing of the Harry Potter books, I do not own any characters except for the ones I might make up, k?

Credits: Everything is credited to J.K Rowling obviously, who else? 

Chapter 1

(15 years ago)

It was a cold damp day, a foggy mist hung over the ground under the gray early morning sky which hid the brilliance of the suns golden light adding a very depressing mood. Albus Dumbledore was looking out his office window into the foggy mist outside. His hands were clinging together behind his back as he sighed.

There was the sound of someone coming up to his office on the rotating staircase, Dumbledore didn't move an inch as he already knew who the visitor was, "Ah, Professor McGonagall, I trust you have some interesting news?"

Professor McGonagall who was the Transfiguration teacher at Hogwarts: School of Witch Craft and Wizadry approached the headmaster's desk with a sigh and said in a rather sad tone, "_He_ is gone. Only the boy remains…"

Dumbledore bowed his head low in respect for the passing of two of his cherished friends and former students Lily and James Potter, "I don't know whether to rejoice or not, seeing as this has turned out to be both a happy and sad situation."

McGonagall's eyebrows came together in confusion, "I'm sure Albus you suspected this too be the outcome from the very beginning…minus the boy."

"Indeed Professor, I had suspected. That is why Hagrid shall get the boy and take him to a safe location, I will be meeting him later on tonight. I trust no one was near the house when you left?" Dumbledore asked, finally turning around to face the saddened Professor McGonagall.

"Not a soul was around Albus, the boy was asleep."

Dumbledore nodded, "I would like for you to go to this address," He began as he handed Professor McGonagall a small white piece of paper with black writing on it, "This is where I have told Hagrid to bring the boy."

Professor McGonagall glanced down at the address with a frown, "4 Privet Drive?"

"Yes."

"But why Albus?" Professor McGonagall asked with a confused face.

"That I shall answer once we are there with Hagrid. But before you leave, I have another question to ask," Professor McGonagall glanced up at Dumbledore curiously, "Do you know where Lucius Malfoy was at the time of the attack?"

McGonagall frowned as if the mere mention of the name 'Lucius Malfoy' was both irritating and insulting, "At the Malfoy Manor…with his wife and son and curiously enough his niece."

Dumbledores gray brows flung up in shock, "Niece did you say?"

She nodded, "Aye, that's what I said, 'niece'. Professor Snape informed me of this last night after his visit to their manor. Apparently Lucius's brother and his brother's wife were murdered for reasons Professor Snape refused to comment on," she sighed, "It would seem that it was truly something awful for even Lucius was having a hard time with it."

Dumbledore sat quietly in his throne like chair and laid back gently into it and glanced up at McGonagall through his half-moon spectacles, "So what is to become of his niece?"

Suddenly Professor Snape walked in with his thick black robes, black knee high boots and sleek greased back black hair, an image he would never change.

Dumbledore glanced at him, "Ah, Professor Snape, just the man I wish to speak to."

Snape nodded lightly at both Dumbledore and McGonagall.

"Professor McGonagall, would you please head over to the address I have assigned you and await the arrival of Hagrid and myself." Dumbledore said in a kindly manor.

"Of course." She said and with a swift turn she headed down the rotating staircase.

Professor Snape glanced back at Dumbledore with one eyebrow arching in question, "You had sent for me headmaster?"

Dumbledore nodded lightly, "Indeed I did Professor. Professor McGonagall told me a brief summary as to what is going on at the Malfoy Manor, but I believe I can get a much better scenario from you considering the circumstances of the situation."

"Of course, sir." Snape replied crisply.

"Please take a seat Severus." Dumbledore replied with a hand gesture towards a seat in front of his desk. Snape immediately responded and sat down with a sigh, "Now Severus, please explain."

Snape glanced his charcoal eyes at Dumbledore with slight reluctance, but he answered regardless, "Lucius has taken his 10 month old niece into his home since the murder of her parents. She's a very pretty child, and a very powerful one at that."

Dumledore raised a curious brow, "How so is she powerful?"

Snape was silent a moment and then he glanced back at Dumbledore once more, "She can already make things happen when she is angry and scared and sometimes when she's hungry apparently."

"Already? Usually signs of magic do not come till a child is at least two years of age." Dumbledore replied in amazement.

"I know. She is truly something special, such a shame she's a Malfoy. Who knows how they might exploit her in the future." Snape replied dryly.

Dumbledore nodded with a sigh, "Indeed that is so. I just wonder how she was blessed with such a magical talent at this early stage?"

Snape shook his head faintly, "Well Damien Malfoy was never more or less gifted than Lucius, but it's the girls mother that perhaps was the powerful witch. She supposedly descended from a powerful pure-blood family, from some other European country, I'm not quite sure which."

"What's the girls name?" Dumbledore asked.

"Lucia…Lucia Malfoy."

"The Malfoys certainly seem to be very original when it comes to naming their offspring." Dumbledore replied with a sarcastic grin.

"I expect to be seeing both her, Draco and Mr. Potter here in eleven years time of that I have no doubt what so ever." Snape replied calmly as he glanced down at the table seeming to be imagining what it will be like to have them finally be at Hogwarts as young wizards and witches in training.

"Of that I have no doubt Severus, I expect that we shall have a very interesting experience with those three along with the students who become close to them."

Sanpe raised a brow at Dumbledore's response, "I fear you may be right."

(15 years later)

Harry Potter was in fact a student at Hogwarts, he was now a sixteen year old boy, who had been through many trials and tribulations in which he always managed to come out of with the help of his two best friends at Hogwarts Ron Weasely and Hermione Granger. Together they solved mysteries, they helped defeat the Dark Lord (Voldemort), they helped Harry save his godfather (Sirius Black) from a horrible fate and many more. Yet along the way they have also had to deal with the nearly insufferable Slytherins who were another Hogwarts house and Gryffindors enemy. One Slytherin in particular that gave them excessive amounts of annoyance was Draco Malfoy a pale young man with blue-gray eyes, silvery-blonde hair and an aura of superiority that oozed out of him simply because he was pure-blood. For five years he had given Harry, Ron and Hermione insults, curses and many nights of detention. Though several times they were saved from trouble and having to put up with Draco's vile behavior thanks to a fellow sixth year Lucia Malfoy, who happened to be Draco's very own pure-blooded cousin. Not to say she didn't herself sometimes act as though they were inferior, but she was never like Draco in the least. Her only grudge towards the three of them was that they were in Gryffindor house which had done nothing but make Slytherin look like a pathetic house ever since their first year at Hogwarts. The five of them expected this year to be like any other, the two Slytherins (Lucia and Draco) permanent rivals of the three Gryffindors (Harry, Ron and Hermione). The five of them had four classes together which were Potions, Defense Against the Dark Arts, Transfiguration and Care of Magical Creatures. It has been this way for several years now, everything was always the same between the five of them…they all had their minds set that it would always be this way till they graduated in a little less than two years time. Ah, but they were wrong…so very, very wrong. Everything they thought would stay the same was about to change, everything they believed to be fact was about to be revealed as pure fiction and everything they ever thought their hearts could never see or feel was about to explode right into them. The cause of all this naturally has to be started by something, one little incident would have to set off a massive chain reaction to cause all the mayhem I have just stated, right? All the credit goes to two teens who definitely decided that rules were made to be broken and that love definitely can cause the impossible to be real.


	2. The Mind Match

A/N: I know the first chapter makes it seem like this isn't Draco/Hermione, but by the end of this chapter you'll see that it definitely is Draco/Hermione! So read!

Disclaimer: The same as before, look at Chapter 1.

Credits: Look at Chapter 1. 

Thanks too: Suagr-Blossom, Shadow Slytherin (Mel Mel), Undercover Kitty (Katica) lol for help with the summer and story title and review, Junsui Chikyuu (Katie) for the great feedback and advice and review! Keep it coming you guys! Thanks again!

Chapter 2

The first week of classes had gone by the same as always for Hermione, Ron and Harry, not too much homework, an early detention from Snape for Ron and Harry and having to put up with the insufferable Slytherins, mainly Draco Malfoy…who was not only the practically self-made leader of the Slytherin House but he was also quite a piece of 'Eye Candy' for not only the Slytherin ladies but for many of the other girls in the school third year and above. Draco had grown quite a bit taller he was now about an inch over six-feet, his body finally reaped the rewards of athleticism which was a strong muscular build which made the girls melt, and his hair grew slightly longer now which he kept bound back. He was now a perfect replica of his father Lucius Malfoy, except younger and far more handsome.

Harry, Ron and Hermione saw him walk by with a group of Slytherins (mostly Slytherin girls) towards the library, but not before spotting the three Gryffindors and shouting out with a mischievous grin, "Better start saying your prayers now Potter, for your going to need as many of them as possible to survive what I'm going to do to you this year." 

Harry clenched his fists at his sides as he shot a piercing glance over at Draco as he walked by with the Slytherins at his heels.

"Oh forget about his rubbish Harry, he has nothing that could harm you." Ron said hoping to get the rage out of Harry's eyes.

"Ron's right Harry, it really isn't worth it. Malfoy wants you to get angry just like every year since our first." Hermione said in a logical manor.

Harry glanced at his two friends and eased up, "He just gets me so furious! He thinks he's so great cause he's a pure-blooded Malfoy! Not to mention that now since his appearance has changed somewhat every girl at Hogwarts is practically throwing themselves at him, making him feel even more superior than ever!" He said in a frustrated tone.

"Well not every girl, Harry. I still think Draco is just as insufferable as before." Hermione said with a grin.

Ron and Harry grinned in delight, "At least his charms haven't rubbed off on you Hermione, don't think I could imagine life in this place if you too were falling head over heels for the git." Ron said in a way that you could tell, he was very relieved that Hermione saw nothing interesting or fascinating about Draco Malfoy.

"Hey look there's Lucia." Hermione said as the three of them spotted Lucia Malfoy coming into the library with a group of Slytherin girls.

"You'd sometimes never think her and Malfoy were related." Ron said in bewilderment.

Lucia's appearance broke the Malfoy tradition of blonde hair and blue eyes, for Lucia had green-blue eyes and golden hair that wasn't a pale silvery-yellow like her cousins or uncles. Her skin was just as pale as Draco's however and she had the same sneers and facial expressions of any other Malfoy, that's how you knew Draco and Lucia were related. She also captured the interest of many Hogwarts males, though she never really seemed to care, unlike Draco who was basking in the glory of his popularity amongst the females.

"Too bad she's a Slytherin and a Malfoy." Ron said sadly.

Hermione looked at Ron as if he were insane, "I hope that you Ron Weasely are not insinuating that you find Lucia appealing in any way shape or form are you?"

Ron suddenly flushed pink and Hermione was left in shock, as Harry merely chuckled.

"Unbelievable Ron, perhaps maybe I should try a bit harder to find Draco Malfoy extremely attractive then shouldn't I?" Hermione argued.

"Go ahead and try Hermione I doubt you could find it in yourself to think of him in that sort of way." Ron replied wisely.

Hermione frowned in disapproval, "Perhaps you're right, but just remember Ronald Weasely that I always manage to do things that never seem possible in the first place. Your just lucky that succeeding in finding Draco Malfoy attractive at all is something far too advanced and difficult for me."   
"Well that's certainly a relief." Harry said with a grin as the three of them headed into the library to begin a little bit of the massive amounts of homework that had been dumped on them.

"Snape, never fails us…always giving us more then we can chew." Ron said in a whiny tone as he took out his quill, parchment and ink bottle.

Hermione rolled her eyes, "I suggest you start getting over it, its been this way for five years, it'll be this way for the rest of our time here."

Ron moped and dropped his head on the table shaking it in misery.

Harry grinned, "Oh cheer up Ron, look on the bright side."

Ron didn't look up, all you heard was a low mumble which sounded like, "What's the brighter side?"

Harry glanced at Hermione who raised a curious brow to him, "Uh…when I think of it I'll let you know."

Ron whined, Hermione just rolled her eyes as she dipped her quill in ink and began her long essay.

Suddenly Lucia began walking over to the three of them, "Hey Ron its your love interest." Hermione said in a teasing manor.

Ron's head shot up all pink looking and Harry and Hermione glanced her way as she approached them with no one for once following her. Hermione spotted Draco at the other end of the library looking over in their direcion most likely curious as to why his cousin would want to go over to the three of them.

"Hello." Lucia said civilly, not being cheerful or mean. She was always neutral and civil with them three.

"Hello." They all said together.

"Hermione, I was never able to copy all of Professor McGonagall's notes, and since you always manage to copy down everything write down to the last dot, I was wondering if you wouldn't mind lending them to me?" She asked, with no sign of disliking or otherwise.

Hermione glanced at Harry and Ron to see what their reactions were, but they just shrugged in a 'why not its just notes' fashion. She glanced back up at Lucia who was patiently waiting and glancing down at Hermione with her dazzling blue-green eyes.

"Sure, why not. Just please try and have them back to me before our next Transfiguration class alright?" Hermione said as she took out the notes she had taken earlier in the day, she then reluctantly but not showing it handed the parchments over to Lucia.

Lucia nodded and took the parchments from Hermione, "Thanks, Hermione. Oh by the way did any of you sign up for the new class Hogwarts introduced this year?"

"It's a voluntary class isn't it?" Harry asked.

Lucia nodded.

"Which one I believe they introduced two new ones?" Hermione asked, most likely forgetting her slight dislike for Lucia.

"The one open only for sixth years, _Magic of the Minds_." She replied dryly.

__

Magic of the Minds was a class where students learned how to channel there powers from their minds, instead of always having to use their wands. Just about every sixth year signed up for the class but only the students with the top grades got accepted into the class.

"Oh yea, I signed up for that I didn't make it though." Ron said gloomily, feeling rather stupid at the moment. 

"I did, surprisingly." Replied Harry.

"I did too. I suppose you were accepted too, Lucia?" Hermione asked curiously.

"Yes, as was my cousin." Lucia said without realizing the low blow she had just dealt Harry and Hermione since they had the class.

"Malfoy, was accepted into that class!?" Harry asked hoping desperately that he had heard wrong.

"Yes, he was. Though he's slightly upset that Dumbledore is going to be teaching the class."

"Dumbledore is teaching the class? That doesn't surprise me, I had heard that Dumbledore was able to channel his magic through his mind. I think the class should be rather exciting." Hermione said with a smile of delight.

"Yes, well see you in a few then." Lucia said with a sigh, it seemed as though she suddenly got bored with their conversation and left back to her Slytherin peers.

"Some class, too bad Malfoy's presence is going to take whatever possible fun there could've been away." Harry muttered, glancing over at Draco who was crowded by several Slytherin girls, one who was particularly throwing herself on Draco, was Pansy Parkinson…apparently she couldn't keep her eyes off Draco ever since third year, but ever since Draco stepped off the Hogwarts express this year, she was pulling herself to him like a magnet. Draco however, tried to escape Pansy's smothering presence and he broke through the girls as he got up and walked over towards the library exit. Not before glancing over at Ron, Harry and Hermione with a wicked sneer.

"Had enough of your fan club for today Malfoy?" Harry shouted out to him.

He stopped walking and turned his head over to him, "Oh, what's the matter Potter? Jealous you don't have one of your own?"

Harry glared at him as he left the library acting like the king of the castle.

"What a shame his good looks, have to go to such waste." Hermione said as she watched Draco exit the library. Not realizing exactly what she had just said. Harry and Ron glanced at her in shock, after about a minute she glanced back at them, "What?" She asked, innocently.

"What a shame his *_good looks_* have to go to waste!? Hermione what are you on about?" Ron asked still not completely over what Hermione had said.

Hermione looked at Ron and then back at Harry, "Uh, I uh…oh please…and this question is coming from the one who thinks Lucia Malfoy is attractive."

"Well, onto other things besides Malfoys," Harry began as he took out his schedule, "It seems that Hermione and I have our _Magic of the Minds_ class with Dumbledore in a minute, so we best pack up and be off." Harry said in slight dread…another class with Malfoy…he couldn't catch a break even when he tried to.

"Ron…what do you have now?" Hermione asked as she packed up her things.

Ron took out his schedule which was all crumpled up out of his pocket and began to look it over, "Let's see here…oh…I have an extra Potions class for everyone who has fallen behind over the course of last year." Ron said looking sick with grief.

"Ouch…that means you get Snape twice." Hermione said stating the already obvious.

Ron glared at her with a, 'thank you for stating the obvious' look.

Harry sighed, "Alright let's be off class is about to begin."

**************************************************************

Harry and Hermione entered the classroom. The working areas for the students seated two people, Harry and Hermione new they'd be sitting together if they had any say about it. They found an empty desk and the two of them sat down at it. Right across from them was Lucia, sitting next to Lavender Brown.

"Hi Harry, Hi Hermione!" Lavender said from across the way. 

"Hi Lavender!" They both said with smiles. Lucia looked over to them and nodded her head in acknowledgement of the two.

A minute later Draco walked in, several girls already shot their glances into his direction as he walked towards a desk with one seat still available right behind the one Lucia and Lavender were seated at, he then looked over towards Harry and Hermione, "So, where's Weasely? To dumb to make it into the class?"

Harry went to say something but Hermione warned him not to.

"Oh what's the matter Granger? Still recovering from the heartbreak?" He asked with a wicked grin of pleasure. He enjoyed getting Harry and Ron mad, but he _really_ enjoyed getting young Miss Granger not just angry but furious.

Hermione glanced over at Draco looking at him with a hard glare, "Oh, well then I suppose the only reason you're here Malfoy is because daddy paid off the Professors, is that it?"

He still kept on his wicked grin, "That's a rather stupid thing to ask Granger considering I have top grades, probably better then your own."

She had had enough of his smugness and turned away.

Just then Professor Dumbledore walked into the room and everyone who wasn't already seated sat down.

"Hello class." He said with a smile.

"Hello sir." The class replied, everyone except Draco that is, who was lazily resting his head on his hand and leaning on the desk, looking uninterested.

"Well, before we get started a brief summary on what this class is all about, and what will be required from each of you." He replied as he stood in front of his desk. The students began taking out parchments and quills, but Dumbledore raised a gentle hand up to them, "No need to write anything, put your parchments and quills away for now."

Everyone looked at him curiously but did as they were told.

"Now," began Dumbledore, "_Magic of the Minds_ is a class, that doesn't require the power of your wands, but the power of your minds. In order to use the power in your mind, you must trust yourself without a wand. Though first a mind needs stimulation, an incentive. The mind is a complex thing but it is also a very powerful thing and what this class will teach you to do is to first, bring out the power to channel through your mind, second, learn to control the power you channel and lastly to learn your limits and what would be considered abuse. Any questions so far?"

Lucia Malfoy suddenly raised her hand.

"Yes, Miss Malfoy."

"Sir, I've heard that this type of Magic is very powerful, and that at one point the school did teach this class, but it was stopped once its lessons were abused by several students who had developed incredible skill in the subject, was He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named one of these students?" She asked as the rest of the class looked at her with slight fear at her question. Draco simply raised a curious brow up at Dumbledore, showing he was curious to know the answer.

Dumbledore sighed as he looked around at the curious class through his half-moon spectacles, "Yes, Miss Malfoy, this is a very powerful type of Magic, that is why it is only open to students with top grades. Also, yes several students did abuse the power once they left Hogwarts and He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named was one of them."

An eerie silence fell over the class, as the students looked both shocked and frightened.

"Now any further questions before I begin the class?" He asked looking around, but no one had any questions, "Alright then, now to begin. In this class you have to work in pairs. For like I said a mind needs a trigger to work an incentive to push the mind to its full potential and the one thing that makes this possible is another mind for it to have to deal with and learn from. Now it doesn't happen with any two minds, oh no, not at all. The minds need to be matched, they need to have the same desires to succeed, they also need to have differences which can range from right and wrong, goals, morals etc."

Pansy Parkinson who was conveniently seated next to Draco raised her hand.

"Yes, Miss Parkinson?"

"How do you determine which minds are matched? Is it through your houses?" She asked hoping it was through houses so that she could have a decent shot at being paired with Draco or as she secretly calls him, 'Her Handsome God.'

"No, Miss Parkinson. Minds aren't determined by houses, for everyone was put into the same houses cause your minds were too much alike, there aren't enough differences there to make a match. It is rare indeed if two people from the same house had minds that matched." He replied, as Pansy's grin quickly flipped upside down into a big frown, much to Draco's secret relief.

"So how will the minds be matched sir?" Asked Harry, with extreme curiosity and interest.

"Well, I was just about to get on that. To match the minds you will have to well…take a test." Dumbledore said with a grin.

"A test sir? What do we fill out a paper or something?" Asked Hermione, looking puzzled.

"Not at all…I will call you up one by one and you will all pull out a clear crystal from this bag, now since there are 26 students the crystals can become one out of 13 colors. Whoever has the same color crystal as yours, is your partner for the year. This is a mind test." He said gently opening the velvet black bag.

"When does the crystal change color?" Asked another sixth year girl.

"Once everyone selects a stone, you will all close your eyes and focus on nothing but the stone then say, in a low whisper, '_Find me my Match'."_

"That's it? Nothing else, no waving wands or anything?" Asked Hermione in a rather disappointed voice.

"No that's all you have to do. Now the mind crystals are all connected, that's how they match everyone at once. Such amazing things , mind crystals. Anyhow," he said as he took a parchment with all the students names on it out of his robe, "When I call your name come and take a crystal."

"This is awful…Harry, we most likely won't be partners." Hermione said looking disappointed.

"I know…as long as I'm not paired with Malfoy, I don't care who I get." He replied as Dumbledore called out the first name.

"Patil, Parvati."

Parvati walked up put her hand into the black velvet bag and pulled out a clear crystal no bigger than a golf ball, she then went back to her seat.

"Potter, Harry."

Harry got up did the same as Parvati and sat back down again.

"Malfoy, Draco."

"Who do you think you'll get Harry?" Hermione asked in a whisper.

"I don't know, I can't think of anyone who could match my mind in the way Dumbledore said." Harry said looking at his crystal curiously, wondering who on earth it would match him up with.

"Malfoy, Lucia."

"I can't imagine who I could be matched up with." Hermione said as she saw Lucia sit back down with her crystal in hand.

"Granger, Hermione."

Hermione got up and grabbed her crystal, on her way back she saw Draco grinning mischievously at her and she just narrowed her eyes at him and sat back down.

After all the other names were called, Dumbledore put the black bag back on the desk and said, "Alright now as I had said before, focus on the crystal…once your mind is locked on the crystal it'll glow a bright white indicating its ready to make the mind match."

Everyone began to focus and one by one crystals were lighting up with a white glow, "Excellent now that everyone's mind is focused close your eyes and say, "_Find me my match_."

Suddenly crystals began glowing in different colors, blue, red, green, yellow every color imaginable. Dumbledore was pleased to see the crystals match everyone so quickly, "Good job everyone. Open your eyes and see who's your match."

Everyone opened there eyes and right away they looked at the colors of their crystals, "Purple? Why purple?" Harry said as his crystal glowed with a purple light.

Hermione opened her eyes and glanced down at her crystal, "Eck…black? Why on earth black?"

Everyone began murmuring as they saw the colors of their crystals.

"Everyone please place your crystals on the desks," Dumbledore said as he began walking down the aisles he began at the front, taking a crystal from a girl who had a red crystal, "Red…who else has red?" A young boy raised his hand, "Ah, please come sit with the young lady. You are now matched, good luck."

It went on like this, everyone though was paired with someone of the opposite sex and had to sit together for the year.

Dumbledore reached Lucia and he said, "Purple…who else has purple?"

Harry raised his hand slowly with utter shock on his face, though Lucia seemed to have no reaction at all as she glanced over at Harry. Draco was rather shocked on the other hand, his cousin matched with Harry, he found it almost insulting.

"Harry kindly take a seat with Lucia."

Dumbledore then walked up to Draco, for he was taking crystals from the right side of the room, "Mr. Malfoy, ah, black…who has black?"

Hermione eyes widened with horror and shock, she slowly turned to face Dumbledore with her crystal in hand, "I-I do sir."

*************************************************************

A/N: Did you like? I hope you liked lol, I really hope you liked! Please read and review tell me what you guys thought of the fic so far? Now can you see how this ends up Draco and Hermione…even though it took a little while to make it obvious as to why. Everything happens in _Magic of the Minds_ class lol!

See you next chapter, any questions, comments, things you didn't understand e-mail me at Maygirl5306@aol.com, k? See ya later!


	3. Fire and Ice

A/N: Here's the third chapter, where Hermione and Draco start having to deal with being partners.

Disclaimer: See previous chapters.

Credits: See previous chapters.

Thanks too: Shadow Slytherin, Selita-Malfoy, Undercover Kitty, malfoyelf, Junsui Chikyuu and keke for reviewing the last chapter!

Chapter 3

Professor Dumbledore glanced over to Hermione who held out her black crystal with a very unsure expression on her face. She glanced over at Draco not knowing what his reaction was, though unsurprisingly his face looked very similar to Hermione's and even Harry's, they all looked like there had to be some _huge_ mistake cause there was just no way Hermione and Draco could be a match.

"Well Mr. Malfoy would you please take a seat with Ms. Granger, your new partner for the year." Draco slowly got up still not looking pleased, Harry got up from next to Hermione and moved over to sit with Lucia. Draco dropped his stuff on the desk and plopped into his chair next to Hermione. He didn't even look over to her once he sat, though he did look at their two crystals which laid together both shining black. He shook his head slightly with a tight jaw as if he were holding back a comment of protest. Hermione looked over to Harry who looked like he didn't know what to say, everything just seemed to go from bad to horrible within a matter of seconds.

Once Dumbledore put everyone together in pairs, he returned to the front of the room. 

"Now, please remember you will not learn anything in this class, until you learn things about your partner. You need to know your partners mind and your partner needs to know yours, basically this means you need to get to know each other if you don't already. Now when I say 'get to know each other' I don't mean just names and what house your in or what your grades are, you need to know what's beyond that, what's inside deep within the mind and heart of your partner. That's where the essence of pure magic is, magic that no wand can make."

Everyone was silent, some had looks on their faces of, 'you can't be serious?' others had looks of, 'I don't want to get to know them'. Draco and Hermione had both expressions on their faces.

"This leads me to your first assignment for the next month, you will get to know your partner, get to know everything about them. Write things down afterward if you wish, emotions they make you feel, anger, sadness, happiness, nervousness, frustration, anything at all. Something like journal writing. I'll explain why this is necessary perhaps next class or whenever I feel like it. Now if you think that you can just ignore your partner until the next class without me knowing, your wrong. I am the headmaster I see everything…and I'll know who's been interacting and who hasn't. I'm sure you top grade students wouldn't want point deduction."

Suddenly the bell rang and everyone rose to leave.

"Don't forget your crystals…keep them with you…do not lose them!" Dumbledore added finally as his students exited the class. He watched them file out and all he could do is watch them leave with a grin, "This should be interesting."

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Harry and Hermione met up with Ron for dinner after their _Magic of the Minds_ class which turned out to definitely be something neither Harry or Hermione had expected. Ron saw them come in and he waved to them from his seat and the two of them walked over to him not looking in the best of moods, Ron's brows came together in confusion, "What's up guys? How'd Dumbledore's class go?" He asked, while the rest of the students were coming in for dinner.

Harry and Hermione looked at him as if they were going to beat him up for even asking.

Hermione then pulled out her black crystal from her pocket and dropped it on the table in front of Ron, "That's how great it went!"

Ron arched a brow in confusion, "What's that?"

Hermione's mean expression faded into one of despair, "The source of my misery."

Ron then glanced over at Harry who was looking at Hermione with a very understanding look, "Mind clueing me in, Harry?" Ron asked.

Harry pulled out his purple crystal from out of his robes, "These are mind crystals, they uh, well…they are able to read your mind and stuff-like-that." Harry said hesitantly not wanting to tell Ron everything.

"Is that all? Then why the faces, and the misery?" He asked glancing at Hermione questioningly.

Harry shook his head in disapproval, "We were assigned partners for the year, and these stones selected who are partners were going to be."

Rons brows shot up in surprise, "Those stones, decided? How?"

"Its complicated, but we've been given a month long assignment where we have to be around our partners as much as possible to get to know them 'better', something I don't see has anything to do with the class. When Dumbledore explained everything it all made a bit more sense."

"So who's your partner Harry?"

Suddenly Lucia and Draco walked into the Great Hall looking over at Harry and Hermione, then heading towards their Slytherin table.

"Lucia's my partner." Harry said in a low tone.

Ron's eyes went wide, "No way? That stone must really like you Harry."

Harry looked at Ron as if he was doing something disgusting, "If that's the case I don't want to think what it would do to me if it hated me."

"Who's your partner 'mione?"

"M-M-M-Ma-Mal-Mal-foy." Hermione replied obviously with _much_ difficulty.

"No way?" Ron said, glancing at Draco who was already seated at the Slytherin table and talking with his peers.

"Is 'no way' all you can say?" Hermione asked in agitation.

Ron shrugged, "Don't think I know what else to say."

"Well can't change what has already happened. Might as well just deal with it. Maybe I'll get to see if Lucia actually smiles." Harry said trying to see the bright side of the situation.

"Well maybe I can see if there is a bigger idiot in Malfoy then he let's us see." Hermione said with a sigh.

At the Slytherin table Draco watched Ron, Harry and Hermione talking, as he watched them the moment when he found out Hermione was to be his partner replayed over and over in his mind. He didn't know what he felt really, was it really anger and annoyance? Or was it something else? Something Draco didn't even want to bother trying to figure out, why bother?

He looked over at Lucia who was listening absently to Pansy talking non-stop to her, she looked extremely annoyed yet Pansy was too thick headed to notice. He wanted to know what Lucia thought of this whole situation, about being Potter's partner and all.

Soon the staff table was full and with a clap from Dumbledore the food appeared, and they all began to eat, Draco practically ate in silence as Lucia seemed to be trying to block out the incessant chatter of Pansy.

After dinner some students went to the library while others went back to their common rooms. Draco decided to go back to his dungeon common room, he wasn't in the mood to speak to Hermione yet…not just yet. 

Harry, Ron and Hermione were in the library studying when Lucia walked in obviously looking for someone. When she spotted Harry she began walking over towards him, "Hello Harry."

The three of them looked up at her, "Hello." replied Harry.

"Could I have word? In private?" she asked looking at Ron and Hermione.

"Uh, sure." Harry said getting up and following Lucia to the outside hall of the library.

She then spun around quickly stopping Harry dead in his tracks, her eyes pierced right through Harry's giving him a cold chill, "So how do you wish to go about this assignment? Arrange a day or two a week to just 'get to know each other' as Dumbledore has put it."

Harry didn't know what to say so he said the easiest thing, "Ok."

"So how about we start this tomorrow, after dinner Tuesdays and Thursdays? We sit and…talk till its time to return to our common rooms, sound good?" She asked in a rather dominant way.

"Sure, I guess…Tuesdays and Thursdays…no problem." He said nodding his head.

She arched a curious brow at him and nodded, "Alright then, see you tomorrow after dinner."

She then spun on her heels and walked away as quick as she had arrived.

Harry leaned up against the wall and let out a deep sigh, "I don't think I can take a month of this, she has looks to kill…literally."

Lucia entered the Slytherin common right after talking to Harry, she headed up the stairs towards the girls dormitories when she heard someone call her name, "Lucia, hold on."

She turned towards the voice and saw Draco walking out of his dormitory, "Yea?"

"I just wanted to ask, what you think of all this nonsense in _Magic of the Minds_." he asked a little uncertainly.

She sighed and looked up at him, "I think, I can live with it just fine, " she began as she studied the unreadable look in Draco's face, "though I think the bigger question here is, can you deal with what's going on?"

He looked at her not expecting her to turn the tables the way she just had, "Wh-what?"

"You heard me." She said sounding like Professor McGonagall.

He tried to say something in response along the lines of, 'you must be joking?' but nothing came out, Lucia rolled her eyes and smirked the Malfoy smirk of feeling like she knew everything, "Goodnight Draco."

Draco watched her enter her dormitory still not completely sure about what had just happened, when he then heard a familiar annoying voice call his name, "Oh Draco! Hi Draco!"

Draco turned around muttering something under his breath as he glanced at non other than Pansy Parkinson, "What do you want Parkinson?" he asked in something resembling a growl.

Pansy smirked at him, "You must be so furious having to be paired up with that nasty little know-it-all mudblood, ain't you?"

Draco narrowed his eyes at her "Actually no I'm rather relieved actually."

Pansy put on a face that was beyond confusion, "I don't understand?"

"Being paired up with the mudblood saved me having to be paired up with the likes of you!" He snarled in annoyance as he stormed off past her and slammed his dormitory door, leaving Pansy in confused tears. (A/N: Good for the little hussy! Hehe)

The next day in _Magic of the Minds_ Professor Dumbledore was explaining the different types of horrifying effects that are a result of abusing mind power. Harry and Lucia didn't really mind being partners so much, Harry figured Lucia would take full control of the situation leaving him there to simply hear her talk about herself and that was his part of the assignment, since she seemed to be so domineering, _almost_ like Hermione. But when she asked a question he spoke, and communication was beginning somewhat, at least it was there though, unlike couple number two Draco and Hermione who had no communication what so ever. They would look at each other out of the corners of their eyes but that was about it.

"Alright class, I want you to write down three ways you can abuse mind power and the result, hopefully if you were paying attention to my lecture than you should have no trouble with this little quiz." Dumbledore said as he started an hourglass, "You have fifteen minutes."

The silence was unbearable for Hermione, she never remembered ever having been so quiet in a class, she always had Harry and Ron to talk to, even Lavender and Neville. Apparently class with Draco Malfoy was a totally different story. As she began writing she glanced at him this time turning her head a bit, she saw him writing down his answers he was going at a rapid pace. Hermione wasn't about to let him beat her out in a quiz, she immediately got her train of thought back and went to work on her three questions. She barely noticed Draco anymore and right when she put the last dot at the end of her sentence both she and Draco had put their quills down at the same time.

Her head snapped over to face Draco, and he to had done the same. 

Now for the first time their eyes had met, brown on blue-gray, fire and ice, Hermione broke the glare as she looked down at Draco's paper to find he indeed had finished the quiz with perfect penmanship just like she had. There was still ten minutes left.

"You got a head start you know." she finally said looking back at her paper.

Draco narrowed his eyes at her, "Is that so?"

"It is." she snapped back.

"Alright then, why not start at the same time, so you can watch me finish before you." He said with a gleam of eagerness in his eyes. He liked challenging her, he didn't know why but he enjoyed it and wanted to see if this girl next to him was really just all talk and no show or otherwise. 

She picked up her quill and dabbed it in the ink bottle, "Alright then, 1...2...3...write."

The two of them started exactly at the same time, they rewrote what they had before with even quicker speed, within three minutes they both dropped their quills down at the same time yet again. Hermione was furious, "How the?"

Draco instead of looking angry this time looked pleased and he sneered smugly at her, his eyes sparkling with delight, "Not bad Granger, maybe your not all talk after all."

She glanced over at him, arching a brow, "Is that what you thought I was? All talk and no show?"

Draco chuckled at the face Hermione had placed on which said, 'how dare you think that of me?', "Yea its what I thought of you Granger, do you have a problem?"

"Yea, actually I do." She said relaxing her face. 

"And…? That would be…?"

"You!" she shouted, forgetting their was a quiz going on, everyone glanced over at where her and Draco were and she sank into her chair in embarrassment.

Draco was laughing inside himself it was evident from the smirk he had on his face. Hermione found it to be a very cute smirk when she really allowed herself to think about it…but WHOA why was she even thinking that? Rewind Granger, Draco Malfoy…does not have a cute anything…not-a-thing…right? Hermione had had enough and she turned facing away from Draco with a huff.

He kept his smirk on his face, "You know, I think I can learn to enjoy this class."

For Draco thought that maybe if he continues to play the role of the annoyingly charming better than everyone Draco Malfoy, and get Granger constantly furious…perhaps…he could make this a fun experience by torturing her with his little role play. At least that way he can make an unpleasant twist of fate somewhat enjoyable and tolerable, regardless of how much Granger disliked it. 

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A/N: Need I say more about this chapter? So far this is my favorite chapter, though that might change as more chapters get posted. So what does everyone think of this? Like, no like, so so…talk to me people lol! Alright so I guess I'll talk to you all later.

Next Chapter: Hermione and Draco discuss when to start meeting, Harry suspects Lucia will kill him and Dumbledore drinks a pina-colada?


	4. Act Like a Malfoy

A/N: Glad you guys are liking the fic so much! In this chapter the meetings start, so basically the _real_ fic is starting now I guess you could say! Enjoy! Also there has been a little war going on about Draco or more precisely the guy who plays Draco (Tom Felton). Yes it would seem two individuals are fighting very strongly, one against Tom and one for Tom. I find it all very amusing that its on my review board for all to see lol. I say, back them up lol, whoever you agree with, back them up lol!

Disclaimer: Read previous chapter!

Credit: Read previous chapter!

Thanks too: Junsui Chikyuu, Sihaya, Shadow Slytherin, Hermione Malfoy, Undercover Kitty, Slytherinzs Angelz and Slytherin Vixen for reviewing!

Chapter 4

Harry and Hermione walked out of the class room and began walking towards the Great Hall along with everyone else, "So how'd you do on the quiz?" Harry asked.

Hermione rolled her eyes, "Alright, I suppose. It would've been easier to focus if certain imbeciles weren't sitting next to me trying to make themselves better than every one else!"

Suddenly Hermione heard a voice gently whisper in her ear, "See you after dinner Granger."

Hermione's eyes went wide as she heard Draco whisper in her ear, she then looked behind her to see where he was but he wasn't there.

"What is it Hermione?" Harry asked apparently never noticing Draco's presence.

"Did you…didn't you…I mean did you see…?" Hermione began in a scramble.

"See what?" Harry asked.

Hermione sighed, "Nothing, just an annoying rat I suppose."

Harry looked at Hermione confused but just shrugged in response.

The two of them finally reached the Great Hall and joined Ron at the Gryffindor table, "So was today better than yesterday?" asked Ron.

"Yea." replied Harry.

"No." replied Hermione with a tint of anger in her voice.

Ron looked at Harry and Harry merely shook his head in warning as to just not go there with Hermione and bring up class anymore…though no sooner was that done that Hermione spoke up again.

"What makes him think he's so much better than me huh?" She snapped.

"Well, uh-"

"I mean is he really so much better than me? I certainly don't think so, I'm sure I have higher grades than he does don't I?" She continued slowly turning red.

"Uh, 'mione maybe you should calm-"

"Who in Hogwarts does he think he is? I just want to jab him with my quill, and slap that cocky grin off his face." Hermione said clenching her hands into fists.

"I'm sure a quill would do loads of damage 'mione but you already slapped the cocky grin off his face back in third year." Ron said, slightly afraid of Hermione's rage.

"Oh yea." Hermione said as a smile of satisfaction and approval spread across her face.

__

"Good one." Harry mouthed to Ron, without Hermione noticing.

"_I'm good I know._"replied Ron in the same silent way.

All through out dinner Hermione kept on glancing over at the Slytherin table, a sense of rage boiled up within her every time she glanced over at Draco and he would meet her gaze with his cocky grin. She would instantly look away as Draco would chuckle at how she'd react.

"So Harry want to play wizards chess tonight?" Ron asked taking a bite out of his chicken leg.

Harry was about to say 'sure' when he remembered that he had to stay with Lucia in the library today since it was Tuesday.

"I would Ron but, I have to meet with Lucia tonight in the library. She decided on Tuesdays and Thursdays after dinner we will meet and 'get to know each other'." Harry said doing the quotes sign with his fingers and rolling his eyes.

"Oh…good luck with that." Ron said going back to eating his food.

"When are you and Malfoy going to start getting together 'mione?" Harry asked looking across at Hermione who was glancing over in the direction of the Slytherin table with disgust, "Hello? Hermione!?"

"What!?" Hermione said jumping back into reality.

"Do you know when your going to start meeting with Malfoy?"

Hermione shrugged, "I think he said something about meeting him right after dinner tonight, though it could've been my imagination or an annoying rat."

"Annoying rat?" Harry and Ron asked together.

"Forget it, all I can say is that its going to take a miracle to keep my temper in check with that, that snake!" Hermione spat.

"Explains why he's in Slytherin." Ron said with a grin.

After dinner everyone began to get up and head to wherever it was they were headed, Harry sighed, "Well I'm off to go look into the eyes of my death bringer, see you guys later."

"Bye Harry!" Shouted Ron and Hermione.

"So where are you meeting Malfoy 'mione?" Ron asked as they reached the exit to the Great Hall. She shrugged.

"Don't know, he never said where, just that we'd meet after dinner." She said.

"Well alright then, I'm going to go play wizards chess with Neville in the common room, see ya later. I want to know how everything went." He said waving goodbye and heading up towards the Gryffindor common room. Hermione sighed as she began heading towards the library thinking it was the most obvious place that Draco would be.

As she was ready to turn a corner a long arm grabbed her suddenly and pulled her past the corner and pushed her up against a wall. When her eyes opened she saw two blue-gray eyes looking into her brown, it was Draco.

"So, Granger, were you going to forget about our meeting?" He asked, putting a hand up against the wall and leaning in a little closer to her.

"Um…uh…I was going to-…wait a minute, why am I explaining myself to you when you just grabbed me from out of nowhere and pinned me up against a wall!?" She said pushing him away from her.

He laughed as he saw the look on Hermione's pouting face, "Feisty one aren't you."

She looked at him, "Oh spare me…have you got quills and parchment?"

He padded his hidden pocket underneath his cloak, "Yea right here."

"So then let's go to the library." Hermione said starting to head towards the library when she was stopped suddenly feeling a hand grab her arm, she looked back and saw Draco who looked at her with a grin.

"Not the library." He said in a low tone. 

"T-Then where, if not the library…then where?" she said looking back into his eyes.

His eyes moved from her to up the stairs, "Third floor?"

"Why?" She asked not understanding his logic.

He shrugged, "More private."

She rolled her eyes, "Like it matters?"

"Fine, then let's go to the library." He said gesturing towards the library. Hermione brushed past him and lead the way as the two of them entered the library, Draco was trying extremely hard not to show how much he was enjoying messing with the Gryffindor witch, as if he'd ever want to go to the third floor with her. 

No sooner had they entered the library that quiet a few heads turned in their direction, a few whispers and murmurs where heard from a few Slytherins as Draco and Hermione took a seat in a far corner of the library. Hermione spotted Harry and Lucia having what appeared to be a conversation. Harry looked stiff and a little frightened, while Lucia was talking to him rather calmly while writing notes in her scroll as Harry spoke.

"They seem to be going somewhere." Hermione said in a low whisper.

Draco looked over at his cousin and Harry and glared, Hermione noticed and rolled her eyes, "Get over it Malfoy. The crystals paired them together, there's nothing you can do about it so save your glares for something else."

He shot his glance to her and looked ready to say something, but she glared right at him fiercely and he just began taking the parchment and quills out of his pockets under his robes. 

Then once everything was out, they sat there, five minutes then ten then fifteen.

Draco sat leaned back in his chair with his arms folded across his chest looking sightlessly at the table while Hermione merely sat there looking down at her blank parchment.

Every once in a while their eyes would meet then they'd break contact and then they'd look at each other again and break contact again. Hermione was fed up, if Lucia and Harry could manage to have communication then certainly she could manage some type of anything with Draco.

"So." She said trying to break the silence.

He didn't look at her, "Yea, so."

She rolled her eyes, "Oh honestly are we six or sixteen?"

He looked at her eyes narrowed slightly, "I don't know Granger, you figure it out."

"So then you want a bad grade? You don't want to develop your mind powers?" she asked hoping that he had some sense in his self consumed head.

He looked like for a moment he was going to say what Hermione had feared but then he shrugged, "Fine, let's start this…at least let's try and make the year tolerable." He said still leaned back in his chair and arms crossed.

"Good, at least that's one thing we can agree on…so…uh…oh dear…where to begin?" She said realizing that it was a lot harder to start a conversation with someone when it was being forced.

"How about with a question, Granger?" Draco replied trying to make it sound obvious.

She frowned at him, "Fine, here's one…why do you enjoy being the way you are?"

He arched a brow of curiosity up at her, "Why am I the way I am?"

"Yes, why are you always so mean, and cold and why do you like making other people miserable?" She asked in a rather angry tone.

He formed a fake grin and shook his head, "Why would something like that matter to you Granger?"

"I've always wanted to know, this was my chance."

He frowned, "Listen Granger, I don't talk about myself to no one, you understand, no one. So heavens knows I wouldn't tell you a thing, your just like everyone else you know that?"

Hermione hated being compared with everyone else, for one thing she always believed was that she was not like everyone else, she was unique in her own special way, there was no way she was going to let Draco Malfoy of all people tell her otherwise.

"I am most certainly not like everyone else. Why would you even say that?"

He growled, "Cause, why do _you_ think I am the way I am, huh? In your own opinion?"

Hermione took a moment to think about the question, she never really bothered thinking about answering the question before from her own personal opinion.

"Well, I thought…because you liked it," She began, and she saw Draco's face soften a bit, "You always smile and laugh when you got someone else down, like you always do to me and Harry and Ron and Hagrid and everyone else."

"That's why your like everyone else Granger, cause that's just what everyone else thinks." He said sounding almost…_offended?_ "See you tomorrow, obviously we're getting nowhere tonight. Your presence is beginning to irritate me."

She said nothing as he walked away and his cold face suddenly turned into one of anger and he stormed out of the library, she saw Lucia look over at her curious as to what had just happened. Hermione suddenly felt like an ice brick got dumped into her stomach and she packed up Draco's quills and parchments which he had forgotten to take with him.

"I guess I'll give these back to him tomorrow." she said shakily, she suddenly felt like certain things she had thought were true about Draco were perhaps…_false?_

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Draco sat by the fire in the empty Slyhterin common room. He just watched the flames dance in the fire as he tried to think about anything but that blasted girl that obviously didn't have a clue as to who he really was. Everything she said was wrong, everything she knows is wrong. But who's fault was that in all truth and honesty? His or hers? But why should that even matter? Obviously the role he tried to play before lost its fun in the library, he wasn't even planning on being the Draco Malfoy he usually was…the one she had mentioned, the cold, mean and selfish Draco Malfoy. Maybe he should give him to her since she asked for him, after all. Yet why did that anger him? Perhaps because he didn't like that Draco either?

He then heard the portrait door open and in stepped Lucia.

He merely looked her way once and then back at the fire.

"How'd your meeting go?" She asked pretending not to have even some clue.

He let out a small chuckle cause he didn't know how to speak just then, but after a big sigh, "Not nearly as well as yours I'd gather."

She slowly walked over to the seat next to him and sat down and glanced at his distant looking face, "Why are you looking at the fire?" she asked.

"Cause I'm thinking." He replied still looking at the fire.

"About what?"

He shrugged.

Lucia shook her head, "What happened with your meeting with Hermione?"

"What meeting? We got nowhere, the little witch just…doesn't know when to keep her mouth shut." He said getting up from his seat and walked over to the fireplace leaning a hand against the wall looking sightlessly into the flames.

"Oh, what happened? Did she strike a nerve?" Lucia asked curiously with a tint of humor in her voice.

He shook his head, "She asked me a question…a stupid question…though why should that surprise me, she has always asked questions, most of them always being stupid."

"What did she ask you?" Lucia asked, starting to get annoyed with Draco's babble.

"She asked me, why I am the way I am?" He replied finally looking up at Lucia with an expressionless stare.

Lucia, was silent a moment, "Why you are who you are? As in why you are…what?"

His eyes lit up with an inner flame of anger and resentment towards the Gryffindor girl, "As in why I'm mean, cruel, cold, selfish…as in why do I laugh at others misfortune…" He trailed off not wanting to go on.

"I see," Lucia began, "You seemed to be acting like an annoyingly charming idiot around her ever since you two were paired, I'm surprised she wasn't referring to that."

Draco smirked finally, "I only acted that way with her to get her annoyed and angry."

"Ah, but when its she who gets you angry…you walk away?" She replied.

"Well…she…" he then stopped and held back a wave of anger, "I didn't get personal."

Lucia shook her head, "Draco, the main purpose of the assignment _is_ to get personal."

Draco looked at her in a way that seemed like he didn't know that was the main purpose of the assignment, "Well it's the most ridiculous assignment I've ever had so far."

Lucia sighed, "Did you tell her why you are the way you are?"

"No," he replied dryly, "I left after she asked."

"Do you plan on telling her?"

"Are you insane Lucia!? Would you tell Potter about how we've been brought up!?" He asked in a loud tone, "Cause that's where all those answers are."

Lucia's eyes went glossy as she glanced at Draco, "I doubt it…unless it was absolutely necessary…which I also doubt."

"So then don't expect me to answer Granger's stupid questions." He replied coldly.

She shrugged and stood up, "I've had enough of this conversation. I don't wait two months out of the year to come here only to have to think about the one place I desire to stay away from now that I'm finally here."

Draco glanced at her with a tint of guilt, "Yea, I know."

She sighed, "Look it's a simple enough assignment, yet you and Hermione are making it out to be exceedingly difficult for yourselves. Once its over you can go back to ignoring her and not having to even look her way, its not like something unthinkable is going to come out of all this, so just suck it up and deal with it. At least try and act like a Malfoy will you." She then walked right passed him without even looking at him and she slammed her room door.

"Act like a Malfoy, yea like that's what I _really_ want to do." He said coldly, though he sounded a bit resentful and sarcastic. He then went to bed.

That morning Harry, Ron and Hermione went into the Great Hall for breakfast, Harry and Ron dug right into their porridge, but they noticed that Hermione wasn't really eating and she looked a little distant, "'Mione, you ok? You've been awful quiet this morning." Ron said looking at her concerned.

Hermione glanced at the two boys looking at them silently, "Question, why do you think Malfoy is the way he is?"

"Honestly? I think its cause he enjoys torturing those who aren't like him." Ron said without really thinking about anything he had just said.

Hermione's eyes dropped in amazement, "He was right."

"Say what?" Ron said stopping his consumption of porridge.

"He said that everyone thinks-" she then stopped, she thought perhaps…just perhaps it wasn't her place to say that he just proved Draco true. Though Ron was just one out of a hundred or so students…but if she counted herself that was two…who knows?

"Whatever Hermione…why not eat we have Potions first today." Ron said.

"Alright." Hermione said in a low voice, though she hardly ate anything as she watched Draco at the Slytherin table and a stab of guilt went right through her.

"Well at least in Potions I don't have to deal with Malfoy." She muttered to herself.

They then saw Professor Dumbledore walk by their table holding a thick white drink with a slice of pineapple stuck on the rim and a pink umbrella poking out of it. He saw the three of them looking at him and he stopped at them and smiled, "Hello."

"Hello Professor." They all replied.

"Uh, professor what are you drinking?" Harry asked curiously.

"Oh this?" Dumbledore began raising his glass a little, "This is a pina-colada from one of the Spanish countries, its quite good."

"Uh, Professor…I have a question about our _Magic of the Minds_ assignment." Hermione said looking at him questioningly.

"Yes, Miss Granger?" He asked sipping his drink.

"Why do we have to get to know our partner? What if we just don't think we can get along with them?" She asked helplessly.

He smiled down at her, "My dear, some things never start out easy. Give it time…the crystals are _never_ wrong I assure you. Don't give up, for given time all things fall into place."

"But how does our partner help us develop our minds?" She asked.

"Didn't you hear me before? Only they can wake up the magic inside of you my dear." He said with a twinkle in his eye. He then walked away sipping his drink.

"Great." Hermione said with a pout.

Just then it was time to head to Potions, and they all went very, very reluctantly.

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A/N: Alright, hope you liked. Did you like? Please let me know what you think and any questions you have please e-mail me and let me know…my e-mail is Maygirl5306@aol.com. Just to let you all know the conversation between Lucia and Draco was done so that you could get a small idea as to what Draco thinks and if you were really paying attention the conversation shows you a clue as to what big role Lucia plays in the future of Draco and Hermione's relationship and much more. Everyone has big roles to play, even Ron…and don't worry…he'll get a girl lol.

Next Chapter: Draco and Hermione get…_stuck? _


	5. Its not what it looks like!

A/N: Alright I just want to say that I basically know the plot of the entire fic, but I don't know how many chapters long the fic will be, I'll know once it is all written out. Alright in this chapter…some characters are left in rather tight situations.

Disclaimer: Same as always…LOOK AT PREVIOUS CHAPTER!

Credits: PREVIOUS CHAPTERS!

Thanks too: Junsui Chikyuu, Undercover Kitty, Slytherins Angelz, Slytherin Vixen and Raven for reviewing the last chapter!

Chapter 5

The three of them walked into Potions all sitting next to each other, and Draco seated in the front of the classroom, much to Hermione's relief.

Everyone was getting out their herbs and ingredients as their cauldrons smoked, just then Professor Snape walked in, his long black robes flowing behind him as he put a hand through his greasy black hair and turned a heel to face the class. He put on his usual scowling face as he began to speak, "I'm sure you all remember that today we are going to be reviewing for our test tomorrow, and please be aware that anyone who fails will be removed from this class and placed back in Potions with the 5th years. For if none of you can make an invisibility potion by now then you are all truly hopeless." He then looked around the room, "Does everyone have all their ingredients?"

Everyone in the class nodded.

"Very well…to review for the test tomorrow you must attempt the invisibility potion…for those of you who _have_ been paying attention in the class." He said loudly looking at Neville who ever since first year has done terribly in every potion class.

Suddenly Lavender Brown raised her hand up, "Mr. Snape sir."

He glanced at her, "Yes, Ms. Brown?"

"Sir, we're missing an ingredient." She said counting only seven ingredients when there should be eight.

"Oh? Which one?" He asked coolly.

"I think we're missing the rosewood, sir." She said in slight hesitation, for she wasn't sure if she was correct or not.

He arched a brow up at her, "That is correct Ms. Brown, at least one student pays attention in this class. For if you all had been paying attention you would've spotted that instantly. Five points to Gryffindor."

All the Gryffindors frowned, they knew that if it had been a Slytherin who had figured that out they would've received like fifteen or twenty points.

"I'll need two students to go retrieve it…and just to insure no mistakes," _better make it the two top students, so that there's no foul ups_ he thought, "Ms. Granger, Mr. Malfoy," the two of them glanced up at Snape, "Go to the potions storage closet and retrieve twenty-five bottles of rosewood, here take these bags."

Hermione could not believe it, why did it suddenly seem like she was always being paired with Malfoy for everything? _It isn't fair_, she thought to herself.

Draco was thinking the same thing practically, _I have had enough of Granger to deal with in Magic of the Minds, I can't believe I have to deal with her now too. Her very presence irritates me._

"Well hurry up, you two take the bags and come back as soon as possible!" He said in a commanding voice, as he watched the two teens get up very reluctantly.

They grabbed the bags and headed out of the room.

They walked in silence, silence Hermione hated…but what else could she do? She didn't know what to say to him, she was partially furious having to hang around him so much now…plus his arrogance was very overwhelming…she figured the best way to deal with this small trip was to say nothing at all.

Draco wanted to just get the potions and get out. He up until last night thought he could deal with Granger as a partner, but now he didn't think he could without exploding from anything she might say. Cause obviously she spoke of things she didn't understand at all, and he knew that his personality was a perfect example of something she spoke of but knew absolutely nothing about.

They eventually after what felt like an eternity reached the potions storage closet, Draco pulled the door open without even realizing what the sign on it said:

__

For any student who is running a task for a teacher please keep the door open until you leave. Thank you.

Neither Hermione or Draco, read the sign as they angrily walked into the closet and began collecting rosewood bottles to try and get back to their class as quickly as possible. The closet was awfully small and cramped, their backs were squeezed up against each other as they grabbed bottles on opposite sides of the closet. When they finally got the last bottles the door closed since no one kept it open. Which didn't phase them a bit, Hermione squeezed herself through between Draco and the shelves to make her way to the door, she gave it a good yank, but it wouldn't open, she tried a few more times and still the door wouldn't open. Draco rolled his eyes in annoyance as Hermione tried again and again to open the door, he finally had enough of her trying to open the door, "Oh, step aside Granger…obviously your not making any progress." He said squeezing past her and handing her his bag, he then pulled, and again it wouldn't open, he tried with both hands but nothing.

Hermione could not believe this, "I can't believe this, we're locked in." She said walking three steps to the back of the closet and sinking down the wall to sit on the floor.

Draco kicked the door in frustration, "Stupid door!"

"Obviously acting like that will get us nowhere." She replied.

He turned and glanced at her, it was rather dark in the closet except for two candlelit lamps which hung from the ceiling, giving the closet an orange glow. Draco's eyes looked dark in the pale orange light, "Shut up, Mudblood! I've had enough of what you have to say!" He said in a harsh tone.

She just then lost any guilt she had felt for Draco since last night, "Yea well by judging from every other pure-blood around here I'd say being a Mudblood was the best thing that could ever happen to me!" She said getting to her feet and staring Draco right in the eyes with a fiery anger, Draco had never really seen before.

"No Mudblood has ever amounted to anything in the wizarding world, once you leave here…you'll be just as insignificant as you were before you came here!" He spat back.

She was beyond furious at this point, "And from what I gather nearly every pure-blooded Slytherin to ever leave Hogwarts has turned towards the Dark Arts, I really don't think I need to strain my brain figuring out which one of us has the more disgraceful outcome! Life or Death, really tough to see isn't it!?" She shouted not backing down from him, but ready to take whatever else he had to throw at her and then she'd throw it right back at him.

"Well considering the way you have been raised, to be so blinded by what the world is really about…you would think of my future to be what it is! Your just a girl who talks about things you don't really understand, so go on…talk more about these unreal things in that ignorant little head of yours!…Well, go on!" He shouted.

"I have been raised, in a loving home, with loving parents…sure they're muggles and they don't know much about the magical wizarding world, which means I had to learn most of what I know on my own, but I most certainly didn't have to make up in my head the fact that all you pure-blooded Slytherins are headed down a road of darkness and death…and that is nothing to be proud of. And it is most certainly not something I had to imagine to know that's the facts!" She shouted with the same intensity he had previously. 

They just glared at each other after that, forgetting they were stuck in a closet with no way out. Hermione waited for his retaliation, for something to just come out of his mouth that would attack her in some way, but what she was about to hear next was definitely something unexpected.

Draco glared at her not changing his look of anger as he spoke, "You really are clueless Granger," he began in a calm and cool tone, as the fire in his eyes faded, "don't talk about what its like to be a Slytherin and what we want and believe, cause you're not one of us. Your not me, you don't know what its like on the other side, so don't talk to me about right and wrong, dark and light or any other bloody thing…cause you only know half of everything, if even that." He then looked away at Hermione and kicked the door in frustration before leaning against it and sliding down to the floor, Hermione was speechless. She sat five feet away from Draco at the end of the ridiculously small closet, and she sat and glanced up at him.

__

So what does he know that I don't? What was he referring too? How much more to him can there be? What could Malfoy possibly be hiding or not sharing with anyone? How bad could it really be to be a rich boy and a pure-blood, with girls throwing themselves at him and being everyone's Slytherin idol, honestly? 

Draco was glancing down at the floor sightlessly, he wasn't thinking about much except for the argument he just had with Hermione. He got personal, even though this wasn't a meeting he had gotten personal, they both did. Draco didn't seem to care that he had gotten personal he just wanted to know if the know-it-all Gryffindor realized that. He looked up at her, she was looking down at the floor but she managed to feel the weight of his stare on her and she looked up at him. Neither one of them looked away, for what seemed an eternity they just looked at each other both trying to see the person that was_ really_ in front of them, for it was obvious that after their argument, neither one could see the _real_ person they were partnered with. 

Hermione felt the silence again, that awkward silence which she only had when she was around Draco. She hated it, "The silence is unbearable," she began, Draco raised a bored brow up at her, "I wonder how long it'll take before Professor Snape realizes we aren't coming back. Figures this bloody door cannot be opened with magic."

"Longbottom is probably keeping him occupied with another idiotic mistake." He replied, flatly.

Hermione frowned, "Can you just for once, not say such things about people?"

"Why should I stop? Perhaps I do it cause I enjoy it…right Granger?" He said, trying to make a point about what she had said last night about him being cruel cause he enjoys it, which wasn't entirely the case. 

She glanced at him, realizing the point that he was trying to make, "So why do you act this way then?"

Draco felt his stomach drop, why should he say anything…then again why shouldn't he? Then he thought back to the conversation he had had with Lucia the previous night. She had made a very good point with him, _getting personal is part of the assignment_. 

"I am the way I am, cause its all I sometimes can be." He replied in a low voice, he didn't even look at her when he said it.

Hermione's brows came together in confusion, what was that supposed to mean? She sincerely wanted to know, it sounded like this was part of what Draco keeps hidden about himself. She couldn't believe he had answered her question, she could tell he was being honest with her for he looked rather uncomfortable after answering her.

************************************************************************

Professor Snape had just finished taking twenty points away from Gryffindor because of Neville Longbottom and his failure to follow instructions. Once the students had settled down after Neville's potion exploded Professor Snape went back to his desk just then realizing that his two students had not yet returned after nearly twenty minutes. He raised a brow in curiosity as to what could've happened to them, "Miss Malfoy, Mr. Potter…go to the potions storage closet and see what is taking Mr. Malfoy and Miss Granger so much time, will you?"

Lucia and Harry got up curiously wondering as to what exactly had become of Draco and Hermione. The two of them exited the class and made way towards the closet.

"Why do you suppose they haven't come back?" Harry asked as they walked.

Lucia shook her head, "I have no idea. Its not like they would want to spend any extra time together considering how much they dislike each other."

"I know." Harry said as they turned a corner and were down the hall from the closet.

****************************************************************************

"Do you ever think of trying to be nice to people?" Hermione finally managed to ask.

Draco glanced at her, _what's with all these questions, _"I doubt it." He said with a sigh.

"Being the way you are must be exhausting."

__

You have no idea how right you are Granger, not that I'd ever tell you that.

"I feel sorry for you," she began and Draco glanced at her curiously, "having to be the way you are all the time. I doubt I could manage it."

Draco looked at her with a strange bewilderment. She felt sorry for him? Did he want that? No, of course he didn't…he wants no ones pity, let alone a mudbloods. 

"Save your pity Granger, I for one do not want or need it." He said getting up from his seat to stretch.

Hermione glanced up at him and stood up also feeling the need to stretch, leaving her bag in front of her, "Judging from the brief look on your face…I might have thought otherwise." She said dryly.

He glanced over at her, "I think this eerie light has been playing with your sight." He said, feeling upset that she caught his previous look of bewilderment.

"If you say so, I'm tired of arguing with you." She said as she went to step forward and tripped over her bag of rosewood bottles which she had left on the floor. Draco quickly reacted and caught her before she fell, but since his reaction was late they both fell. She landed right on top of him…

She slowly lifted her head and looked right at Draco who was looking at her with an unreadable face, Hermione's eyes suddenly widened as she felt something hard press up against her thigh, "Oh my…" she began but trailed off as her face became a lovely shade of crimson.

Draco smirked, "Don't seem so surprised Granger, all men have it…some of us just have more there than others…"

Hermione felt so embarrassed as she tried to move her leg away from Draco's manhood which gave Hermione a stranger sensation in her gut and gave Draco a small chill through his spine, which he tried to ignore.

Suddenly the closet door opened and Lucia and Harry looked down to find Hermione and Draco in a very guilty position. Harry and Lucia had their eyes wide and were left speechless.

Draco looked up at the two students and sighed as he placed his head back down on the floor shaking it in disapproval, he knew exactly what Lucia and Harry must be thinking…he had to admit he and Granger's position was very convincing of certain things. He just hoped that both Lucia and Harry had the common sense to realize that it definitely _isn't what it looks like._

Hermione broke the silence, "Uh…hi Harry…hi Lucia…everything can be explained."

Lucia raised a brow at the two teens on the floor who still had not moved, "Perhaps once you two get out of the closet." she said hiding the smile dying to come out.

Hermione and Draco glanced at each other and Hermione softly got off of Draco trying not to blush as she went and got her bag of rosewood which she had tripped over. Draco grabbed his bag as he rolled over to get up. The two of them then got out of the closet and Harry closed the door.

"So…what happened?" Lucia asked coolly. Harry was furious to find Hermione and Draco in that position, but he wouldn't say anything until he heard their story.

"We got locked in, end of story." Draco replied, trying to end the conversation while binding his hair back for it had gotten loose during the fall.

Harry glanced at the two of them then at the sign in front of the door, "Are you saying you can't read? The sign in front of the door specifically says to keep it open, perhaps because it only opens from the outside." Harry said pointing to the sign on the wall. 

Draco and Hermione rolled their eyes feeling very stupid, how did they miss the sign? 

"We overlooked it Harry, honest. Do you think I wanted to get locked in their with…_him_." Hermione said glancing quickly over at Draco, who just shook his head and rolled his eyes, for lack of anything better to do.

"Didn't look like you minded when we came in." Harry replied, glancing back and forth at Hermione and Draco.

"I tripped over my bag…and I knocked Draco over and that's when you two walked in." She said lifting her bag to show to them.

"So that was it?" Lucia asked.

Draco nodded, not saying anything. 

"We better get back to class, Professor Snape sent us to look for you." Harry said turning and walking away. Everyone else followed in silence.

That night at dinner, Hermione kept on replaying the moment where she fell onto Draco and the strange feeling she felt when she was on top of his firm chest.

__

Oh stop it Hermione, just stop thinking about it. It was an accident…its never happening again. It was Malfoy for gods sake.

She then glanced over at the Slytherin table and watched Draco eat and talk with his fellow Slytherins, but not before glancing over at her with an unsure expression, he seemed to look her over real quick and then he went back to talking with his friends.

"So Hermione, had fun in the closet?" Ron asked with a goofy grin on his face.

Hermione shot cold daggers at him, "Nothing happened, we had one heated argument and then I tripped and fell on top of him…nothing happened, alright!"

Ron shrugged, "Whatever you say 'Mione. Though if I knew that anything had actually happened between the two of you Malfoy would regret it."

"So you going to meet with Malfoy after dinner? Your last meeting didn't exactly go well did it." Harry asked.

Hermione shrugged, "I don't know, perhaps he'll come out of nowhere and last minute decide to have a meeting or something I don't know."

************************************************************************

Dinner finished and everyone headed back to their common rooms. Harry and Ron went ahead of Hermione who thought she had forgotten her mind crystal in the Great Hall. As she turned around she bumped into none other than Draco.

"You ever heard of just normally coming up to people when you want to talk to them, instead of always sneaking around?" She asked stepping back.

He shrugged, "Not my style."

"So what do you want?" She asked, wanting to end the conversation as quickly as possible.

"You left this in the closet." He said taking out her black mind crystal.

"No wonder I couldn't find it here." She said taking the crystal from his hand almost freezing as her skin touched his, "Thank you."

Draco nodded, "Yea, well…I'll see you later Granger." He said turning to walk away when she put a hand to his shoulder and his stomach flipped, he turned to face her.

"Would you want to try and have another meeting tomorrow?" She asked.

Draco was silent a moment as he thought about it. Nothing could be as bad as the last meeting, why not? "See you tomorrow after dinner Granger." He then walked away.

"Good night." She hollered back.

He kept walking without looking back, his response was him lifting his right hand up in acknowledgment.

****************************************************************************

Draco laid wide awake in his bed that night tossing and turning shirtless from the heat in the room, as he remembered the strange feeling he had felt when Hermione's soft body fell onto his. _She's a Gryffindor…she's Granger! Your better than that Malfoy…much better, aren't you?_

Hermione was laying in her bed tossing and turning and trying to sleep, but it was no use. That handsome blonde Slytherin came back into her mind refusing to leave. _Come on Hermione, get a grip. It's Malfoy…a Slytherin creep! You hate him, you hate everything about him…don't you?_

Eventually the two teens found uneasy rest, both dreading the next time they would see each other in mere hours, they just have to get through one itty bitty little assignment…then after that a year of _Magic of the Minds_. They hated each other, always have, always will…they were going to make sure nothing would ever change that. Whatever strange things they were feeling was going to be ignored, they were going to act the same way they had since first year, with the 'I hate you' attitude, that way everything will be fine.

They must have been _real_ stupid to think that they could really keep up the 'I hate you with a passion' routine for a whole year. Really, really stupid…for the worst or should I say the best things were yet to come, from the most unexpected places.

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A/N: Alright, that was their_ first_ closet experience…will that be the only one? Well…I seriously doubt it lol. The closet triggers the hormones so well lol, this brings in the frustration which is the funniest thing to see in the world. I've seen it before…my cousin and his present fiance where like Draco and Hermione at first lol…then WHOA…change of heart, but they stayed trying to hate each other cause they didn't want to like each other, before having they're change of heart. And as for the stuff to come…that is classified information…you just have to read and find out lol. Now for all of you who are thinking that "oh no, she's making them like each other to soon!" do not worry, feelings are just scratching the surface, but Draco and Hermione refuse to acknowledge anything therefore making the romance come much later. Obviously one closet experience isn't going to start something as deep as love and so on, even liking each other isn't there its simply an attraction. No, I have something better planned for the trigger to romance so don't worry folks, the little attraction that has been started will only be known to you the readers, and individually with Hermione and Draco who plan on keeping it to themselves and hopefully getting rid of it. Cause I hate quick romances too.

Next Chapter: Take two of Draco and Hermione's meeting. Lucia and Harry find out something they shouldn't have, and Ron becomes significant, lol. 


	6. Mind Meld part 1

A/N: To Be Determined.

Disclaimer: Grrr, I so hate this thing…same crap every time! Just read the 1st chapter disclaimer ok?

Credits: Everything is J.K. Rowling except Lucia and whoever else I make up, but I doubt I'm making up anyone else, who knows.

Thanks too: Junsui Chikyuu, Beyond-Artemis, Ellie, Slytherins Angelz, Hermione Double and Slytherin Vixen for reviewing.

Chapter 6

Hermione got out of bed to the squeals of Lavender Brown and Parvati Patil. Hermione glanced at them with tired eyes, for she had a rather uneasy sleep that night.

The two girls looked over at her, and giggled as they walked out of the room. Hermione shrugged, she didn't really care what was up with those two, she was too tired.

Today was Thursday, Hermione was rather relieved she had a free period to study today and she really wanted to finish some extra credit work in her Arithmancy class. She got dressed and went down into the Gryffindor common room, which was buzzing with Gryffindors heading towards the Great Hall for breakfast. Hermione spotted Ron and Harry waiting for her by the fireplace, she walked over to them.

"Finally, you slept a bit late didn't you." Ron said, glancing at Hermione's tired eyes.

Hermione yawned, "Had trouble sleeping. Shall we go to breakfast?"

The guys nodded and the three of them went to breakfast.

Dumbledore stood in front of his seat at the staff table and tapped his spoon on his goblet to silence everyone. Once he had they're attention he began to speak, "Just a few quick announcements before we begin breakfast," he began, "today Quidditch practice begins, so all those who wish to try out for their house teams and for those already on their house team please meet at the Quidditch field after lessons today. First years are not eligible to try out, sorry. Also, we have something special in store for you all this year."

A low buzzing began to fill the Great Hall as students talked amongst themselves asking if anyone else knew about this 'something special'.

Dumbledore raised his hand to maintain silence and he began speaking, "This will be discussed at a later date, now time to eat."

Everyone started moaning and whining.

"Just like Dumbledore to leave us in suspense like that." Ron said, shaking his head.

"Who cares about that when Quidditch is starting up again." Harry said with excitement.

"True." Ron said beginning to eat his porridge.

"We'll be unstoppable this year. Slytherin won't stand a chance against us, even though we don't have Fred and George anymore we still have you as Keeper Ron. Ginny says after last year of playing Quidditch she's had enough. If anything she'll be a Chaser." Harry replied.

Hermione's brows furrowed, "Harry, didn't you hear?"

Harry looked over at her, "Hear what?"

"I hear Slytherin found themselves and incredibly skilled Chaser."

Harry and Ron looked at her curiously, "Where did you hear that?" They both asked in unison.

"I overheard a few Slytherins talking in the library the other day. They said that '_she' _is one of the best they've ever had'." Hermione said drinking some pumpkin juice.

Harry and Ron glanced at each other, "She?" They both said together in disbelief.

Hermione rolled her eyes, "Oh please like a girl Chaser isn't unheard of? Half the Gryffindor team was made up of girl Chasers at one point. Girls usually make better Chasers than boys anyhow."

"Who's the girl?" Harry asked dying to know the answer.

Hermione shrugged, "Don't know, they never said her name. They just spoke about how good she was and that she'll help lead Slytherin to victory this year and all that."

Ron sighed, "Of course they'll say that. They just want to win so badly, since they haven't in so long. I bet the girl whoever she is, isn't even as good as they say."

"She's now the only girl on the Slytherin team. I think Slytherin lost so many times before cause they couldn't realize that a female might actually help them win." Hermione replied with feminine pride.

Ron sighed, "Quidditch tryouts seem like an eternity away."

"Why's that?" asked Hermione.

"Cause I have double potions today with Snape. You know the class for all those falling behind." Ron said with a very unpleasant face.

Hermione frowned, "That's right I have _Magic of the Minds_ class today."

Harry glanced at Hermione, "Yea, we all know how much you love that class Hermione," he said looking over at Draco who was talking with Crabbe and Goyle.

Hermione narrowed her eyes at Harry, "You know that's a complete lie."

Harry shrugged, "Only you would know Hermione."

She glared at him, "If you're _still_ referring to the whole closet thing, STOP IT!" 

Everyone at the Gryffindor table glanced at Hermione as well as a few people from Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw and Slytherin. Hermione hid her face behind her hand as she lowered her head.

"It was just a joke Hermione. Relax, we know nothing would ever go on between you and Malfoy." Harry said not expecting Hermione to get upset.

Hermione tilted her lowered head to the side so she could meet Harry's gaze, and forced a small smirk to her face, "Of course…nothing."

Breakfast finished quickly, Ron, Hermione and Harry had Care of Magical Creatures class first with the Slytherins as always.

The three of them arrived and shortly after that came more Gryffindors followed by Slytherins including Draco, Crabbe and Goyle. Hermione looked over at Draco as he walked to join the crowd, she quickly ignored him. Harry saw Lucia come over followed by a few Slytherin girls, Hermione saw Lucia look over at her with a blank stare. Hermione said 'hello' with a smile, Lucia nodded back lightly. 

Just then Hagrid came out from behind his hut, to everyone's delight without boxes or crates or killer looking creatures.

" 'Lo class." He said with a smile.

"Hello, Hagrid." They all replied, well almost all of them (Slytherins said nothing.)

"Today, I got nothin' big for yeh. Jus' tha' Professor Dumbledore said tha' he would like yeh all ta write a repor' on any magical creature we 'ave studied over the pas' four years. 'Morrow we'll be goin' back at studyin' animals." Hagrid said sounding a bit disappointed that he wasn't going to teach today.

Parvati raised her hand.

"Yea, Parvati." Hagrid said.

"So what will we be doing today Hagrid?"

Hagrid shuffled his feet in the ground as he looked at all the students, "Nuttin' really. Walk around the grounds or summat like that. I have work to be gettin' too." Hagrid said as he then glanced at Harry, Ron and Hermione, "Can't stay with ye three today, 'morrow perhaps." He then dismissed the class and walked away.

As he vanished into the Forbidden Forest with Fang, a laugh came over from Pansy Parkinson, "For once Dumbledore did something smart and made that freak do something he's actually good at, instead of him staying here nearly killing us all with his freaky monsters." She said, all the other students had already left to walk the grounds together, only Draco, Crabbe, Goyle, Lucia and some of her groupies, Harry, Ron and Hermione were left standing together. 

Harry, Ron and Hermione glared over at Pansy, "Too bad non of those monsters ever did us the favor of actually killing you Pansy." Hermione spat out, she hated when someone spoke ill of Hagrid.

Draco smirked at Hermione's comment, he couldn't agree with her more on that matter. But he quickly got rid of his smirk.

Pansy turned red, "Brave words for a mudblood."

Hermione narrowed her eyes in hatred for the obnoxious Slytherin, "Rather be what I am Pansy then be what you are."

Pansy sneered, "And that would be?"

Hermione smirked evilly at Pansy, "A pug-faced little tramp!"

Draco couldn't help himself, he let out a laugh he had been trying to hold back, as did Crabbe, Goyle, Ron and Harry. Lucia smirked, but her Slytherin friends were in defense of Pansy, they looked furious, as was Pansy.

Pansy heard Draco's laughter and everyone else's and frustrated tears came to her eyes, "Draco! Say something to her!"

Draco shrugged with a grin, "Why bother Parkinson? She was only stating the obvious." He said, hoping Pansy would finally get the clue that he hated her with a passion.

Pansy was enraged by Draco's comment, "Lucia!?" she said in a whiny tone.

Lucia shook her head, "You brought this to yourself Pansy."

Before she left she shouted, "I'll get you mudblood wait and see, I'll get you for this!"

Hermione rolled her eyes and dismissed Pansy's threat as nothing.

"You sure told her off." Ron said with a smile.

Everyone watched Pansy still running back to Hogwarts.

The remaining Slytherins looked at the three Gryffindors, Lucia's groupies looked furiously at Hermione, while Lucia looked at her with a smirk, "Didn't think you had it in you to say that Hermione." Lucia said still smirking.

Hermione grinned, "I've always had it in me."

"Lucia! How can you say that! How can you talk to…_her!_" One of the Slytherin girls said in surprise and loathing.

"Easy, I open my mouth and words come out." She replied casually not caring about what anyone of them thought.

Harry looked at Lucia with a smirk, then glanced at Draco "Why are you still here Malfoy?" Harry said noticing the presence of Draco, Crabbe and Goyle.

Draco shrugged, "Just enjoying the show Potter." He said as he glanced at Hermione and then walked away casually with Crabbe and Goyle following close behind him.

"See you in class later." Lucia said as she glanced at the three Gryffindors and turned and walked away. The girls followed her but not before shooting evil glances towards Hermione and hissing while they were at it.

"Pleasant aren't they?" Ron said sarcastically.

********************************************************************************

Around two it was time for the last class of the day for everyone. Hermione and Harry headed to _Magic of the Minds_. 

"Time to see Pansy's hideous face." Hermione said with a sigh.

Harry chuckled, "Still can't believe you said that to her 'Mione. That was brilliant."

Hermione grinned, "Yea, well she did ask for it you know."

They both laughed together and then walked into the class.

Harry took his seat next to Lucia, Hermione took her seat next to Draco noticing Pansy's evil glance at her, Pansy had been paired up with a Hufflepuff and she was not pleased at all and the fact that Hermione got paired with Draco pissed her off even more.

Hermione took her seat next to Draco, he only glanced at her when she had come in but after that he completely ignored her and that was fine with her cause it made her job easier of ignoring him.

Dumbledore then came into the class.

"Hello, Class." He said with a smile.

"Hello, Professor Dumbledore." They replied.

"Today, we won't be taking notes, or hearing any lectures from me. Today, I must first ask you all to take out your mind crystals." He began.

Everyone with extreme curiosity took out their mind crystals.

"Now, place them in front of you on your desks." He said as he then walked in front of his desk.

"What do you suppose is going to happen this time?" Harry whispered to Lucia.

Lucia didn't move her head or eyes, she merely bent her head down and in a low whisper she replied, "I have no idea. Now stop talking, we'll get in trouble."

Harry nodded, "Sorry."

"Shhh." She whispered.

Harry smirked, _she's a lot like Hermione_.

Dumbledore continued speaking, "Today I want to see the progress you have made with your partner. Today I want you all to quietly have a conversation with your partner. Talk about whatever you like, for if you have been interacting with your partner enough then perhaps your mind is becoming somewhat stimulated and your crystal will glow, depending on how far along your mind is the crystal will glow ranging from faintly to as bright as any star in the sky."

Hermione's face of curiosity fell to one of disbelief, as did Draco's.

__

Why does it feel like someone is planning this whole thing as an act of revenge or something? The Gods must hate me, they must, why else would I have to suffer through all of this? I'm so tired of Draco Malfoy, I want nothing more to do with him…its not fair!

Draco moved his eyes to look at Hermione who was looking rather upset.

__

Figures Dumbledore has to go and make us do this now. There is no justice in the universe. Not to mention the fact that I have to meet Granger later for our assignment. How can I ignore her, when I'm constantly being forced to do the total opposite? Father would be furious if he knew I was paired with a mudblood especially Granger of all people. 

"Now depending on how far along you are will determine who is ready to move on to the next part of the process, we'll know within a few minutes who is ready. So…by all means talk…and to insure privacy," he clapped his hands and suddenlyfloating blue curtains surrounded each individual desk.

Harry and Lucia turned to face each other in their seats.

"This class gets stranger and stranger." Harry replied, poking at the floating curtains.

Lucia nodded, "It certainly does."

Harry sighed, suddenly an idea came to him. Lucia is in Slytherin so maybe she'll know who the amazing knew female Chaser is.

"Lucia?" He said.

"Yes, Harry?" She replied coolly.

"Do you know who's on your Quidditch team?"

Lucia raised a brow at him, "Do you really think I would tell the competition anything?"

Harry grinned, it was rather stupid of him to even think she would answer the question, "I figured you wouldn't. Its just that I heard from a very reliable source that your Quidditch team has a new Chaser this year. They say that _she_ is one of the best they've ever had. I haven't the slightest idea who she could be though."

Lucia smirked, "You sound surprised that the Chaser is a girl."

Harry shrugged, "Hermione said the same thing. Its not like I'm prejudice towards girls in Quidditch or anything, its just that Slytherin seemed that way considering very few girls have ever been on their Quidditch team."

"Well that's understandable I suppose." She said glancing at Harry.

**********************************************************************************

Draco and Hermione still didn't look at each other.

"One of us has to talk, otherwise we won't know if we're ready for the next step." Hermione said with much difficulty. She didn't want to talk to Draco at all.

Draco nodded, "Like I care what some crystal does. Its this bloody crystal that got us in this blasted mess."

Hermione frowned, "What mess? You saying you would've preferred Pansy as a partner?" Hermione asked, knowing what Draco would say.

He glanced over at her for the first time since they were outside, a look of utter shock and disgust on his face, "Are you mad? I would rather be with Potter than Parkinson. That girl is insufferable." He said with a huff.

Hermione kept back an oncoming laugh.

"After what I heard you say to her during the argument her and I had, I can say I believe you." She replied.

He smirked, "Yea well, Parkinson was never a favorite of mine. Always smothering me, following me, laughing at everything I say even if it isn't funny, whenever I try to find a moments peace she's there. She figures she should and can of course because…" Draco then trailed off and looked down at his desk.

"What? What were you going to say?" Hermione asked curiously.

Draco shook his head lightly, "Nothing, forget it Granger."

"Another thing I don't understand?" She asked looking away from him.

He grinned, "Basically."

"Well…after we graduate you never have to see her again, that must make you happy." She said still not looking at him.

He was silent a moment, his face looking cold and distant, as if he was hiding a thousand and one secrets and they were all haunting him at the very same moment. He lowered his head slightly as he said, "That would make me happy, if it were only true. Parkinson is like a disease that you can't get rid of no matter what you do."

Hermione knew there was something he wasn't saying. Something that would be interesting news for her that was for sure.

"Well at least we won't have to see each other once we graduate." Hermione said, making herself enjoy the thought to the full extent though somewhere in the back of her mind she didn't.

Draco glanced at her, "One good thing to look forward too." He said, biting his tongue as he did so…almost as if that wasn't what he wanted to say but he couldn't stop himself from saying it, cause he knew that's what he _had_ to say. 

Hermione tried to find comfort in his words, but she found it difficult.

"So, What's it like?" She asked suddenly.

Draco's brows furrowed, "What, what is like?"

"Being Draco Malfoy. I might as well learn something about you while we're partners. Despite how much I do not want to be here." She said acting as normal as possible.

Draco nodded, "Feeling is mutual Granger," he began, "but being a Malfoy…is like being a puppet on a string."

Hermione's brow furrowed, "What do you mean?"

Draco nearly slipped. He couldn't explain further, "Let's just leave it at that."

Hermione was swamped with curiosity now, Draco would always tell her bits and pieces of stuff that would probably make so much sense if he would just explain everything he said.

Draco wanted to know why Hermione always asked personal questions, why couldn't she ask him, 'What's your favorite color?' or 'What's your favorite Quidditch team,' not all these other questions. She's always fishing for answers to things, especially with him, it annoyed him but then again it made him curious about her. Why was she always like that?

"Why do you always ask questions?" He asked flatly. As he glanced at her waiting for an answer.

Hermione was taken aback by the question simply because it was sincere, "I suppose, I like learning about things I know nothing about and quite frankly I know nothing about you. All I know is what I've seen for the past five years, but I know there's more to you then meets the eye, you made that very clear to me back in the closet." She said not realizing that she was blushing faintly, she also didn't notice how uncomfortable Draco got at the mention of the closet, almost as if he didn't want to remember it.

"Thanks for the answer." He replied dryly.

"Lucia and you present yourselves so differently and yet so the same, sometimes we can't think you're related cause of that." Hermione said not really thinking.

Draco raised a brow at her, "It wouldn't surprise me if Potter was asking Lucia the same personal questions your asking me."

Hermione grinned faintly, "Harry's not the type to pry about a persons personal life. He'll pry about Quidditch though."

"That doesn't surprise me."

"What do you think Dumbledore has planned for us this year? He said it was something special." Hermione asked.

Draco shrugged, "Don't know and quite honestly don't care."

Hermione frowned, "And why not?"

Draco sighed, "I don't know why. I just know that I don't care."

Hermione hated when Draco would act like that. Draco hated when she would ask annoying questions. Their minds were so alike and so very different. Each mind stimulating the other, by bringing about thoughts, feelings and emotions that they never really had before. It was all very new to them both.

*****************************************************************************

Dumbledore was at his desk writing when he saw a glowing light through one of the curtains, then he saw a few more appear. He smiled, "It would seem like the students are making progress."

Just then Professor McGonagall walked in.

Dumbledore glanced at her through his half-moon spectacles, "Ah, Professor McGonagall…what is it?"

Professor McGonagall stopped in front of him, she then noticed the small balls of light coming through the curtains, "The class seems to be going well."

"Indeed it is Minerva. Much better than I would've hoped." He replied.

She nodded, "Hopefully they will do well with what they learn here and perhaps no Slytherin will abuse their powers once they get them."

"I hope so. Though considering what most of them have grown up surrounded by, its hard to say. Especially since Voldemort is back in power." 

Professor McGonagall shuddered, "It is an awful thing. I fear already that the Malfoy children, Ms. Parkinson and a few other Slytherins will be lost to us once they leave here. Their families corruption of them over the years…I fear for them Albus. The return of You-Know-Who may mean the forfeit of their lives."

Dumbledore glanced up at the sorrowful looking McGonagall , "I believe that we should hope that they do what they wish not what their parents wish. Though I can't say that's an easy thing to do, they probably feel they'll be killed if they try to refuse the destiny their families have made for them. Yet I don't doubt that they also know serving Voldemort one day could mean being killed as well. It is a very sad thing indeed."

McGonagall shook her head, "Yes, well…strength be with them all. For those who wish it and need it." she said with sorrow lacing her voice, her worry and pity for the Slytherin students was evident.

"Absolutely. Now Professor, what did you wish to speak to me about?" Dumbledore asked calmly concealing his worry for the Slytherin students.

"The event coming up, the one you mentioned at breakfast…do you think it is wise to do?"

Dumbledores' brows furrowed in confusion, "Of course, it is perfectly safe under our supervision. I see no harm in it, we haven't done this event in nearly a century. Why not have it again?" 

Professor McGonagall looked to protest but did not, "Very well Albus, if you think it is best. I just do not want this event to cause any animosity between the houses, even thought there is already animosity between Gryffindor and Slytherin." 

"I understand your feelings Minerva. Everything will be fine. If something goes wrong we call it all off. Now you must excuse me for my students are beginning to lose focus due to their crystals glowing." Dumbledore said as he rose from his chair.

"Of course Albus." She said as she walked out of the classroom.

*******************************************************************************************

Dumbledore then clapped his hands and the curtains vanished. Everyone looked around to see where they went. They then glanced over at Dumbledore.

"Most of you have your crystals glowing. For those who do not have crystals glowing you obviously need more time with your partners. Now I hope you all enjoyed your conversation, for now we're going to do a little more than that."

Everyone had curious faces on. Hermione glanced over at Harry, he merely shrugged.

Harry and Lucia had their crystals glowing, as did Draco and Hermione and about ten other groups in the class, only one other group didn't have their crystals glowing and that was Pansy and her partner.

"For those whose crystals are glowing the next step is for you to get a glimpse of the mind you have begun to connect with. You have all only scratched the surface that is why your crystals aren't glowing as brightly as possible. Once you do the second step you'll be that much closer to awakening your powers. The second step is called, 'The Mind Meld.'"

"Mind Meld? I think I read about that." Hermione said to herself aloud.

Draco glanced at her curiously, he leaned over to her and whispered, "What is a Mind Meld?"

Hermione glanced at him with a nervous look, but before she could say Dumbledore continued speaking and they both gave their attention to him, "The Mind Meld will be when you and your partner join minds for a brief moment and you get to know a little bit about their true selves and them you. For I'm sure none of you have opened up to your partners yet at all in any personal way. The 'Mind Meld' may change that, but this will awakening the feelings needed to gain your powers. This will take place not tomorrow, but soon…for it is best in this class not to rush things."

Harry, Hermione, Draco and Lucia were all thinking the very same thing, _THEY GET TO SEE OUR MINDS!? WILL THEY SEE WHAT I DON'T WANT THEM TOO?_

The four students were less than thrilled.

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A/N: Alright this chapter was very long. My eyes hurt from typing it. Alright anyway, in this chapter a lot happened. I gave you people more clues about what's going to be going on in future chapters, I gave you people a few hints about Pansy and Draco. I also gave you a few about Lucia. Are you getting the hints? Hope you are. Anyway please comment tell and let me know what you guys are thinking. Until next time this is Pannygirl signing off.

Next Chapter: Nerves about the 'Mind Meld' and the truth about the Mind Meld is known, Draco threatens Pansy and the mystery girl Chaser is revealed. 


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